1948 United States Senate election in New Jersey

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1948 United States Senate election in New Jersey
Flag of New Jersey (1896-1965).png
  1942 November 2, 1948 1954  
  Robert Clymer Hendrickson.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Robert C. Hendrickson Archibald S. Alexander
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote934,720884,414
Percentage49.99%47.30%

1948 United States Senate election in New Jersey results map by county.svg
County results
Hendrickson:      40–50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%
Alexander:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Albert Hawkes
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Robert C. Hendrickson
Republican

The United States Senate election of 1948 in New Jersey was held on November 2, 1948.

Contents

Incumbent Republican Senator Albert Hawkes ran for re-election to a second term but withdrew from the Republican primary after facing overwhelming establishment opposition to his re-election. Republican State Treasurer Robert C. Hendrickson won the primary over Harry Harper and defeated Princeton attorney Archibald S. Alexander in a close general election.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrew

  • Herbert F. Myers, member of the Hackensack Borough Council [2]
  • Albert Hawkes, incumbent Senator since 1943 [2]

Declined

Campaign

Senator Hawkes announced his campaign for re-election in December 1947. [3]

By 1948, Governor Alfred E. Driscoll emerged as the dominant force in the New Jersey Republican Party, having successfully reformed the state constitution in 1947 to expand the power of his office, and he sought to put forward a less conservative candidate for the seat in the April primary. In January 1948, Driscoll and other Republican leaders called for Hawkes to end his re-election campaign, arguing that he could not win a second term, and endorsed state senator and wealthy Englewood stockbroker David Van Alstyne for the nomination. [4] [5] In particular, Hawkes's critics pointed to a recent fundraising dinner speech as a fatal political blunder, in which he said, "I have never hated anyone in my life longer than overnight. There is one exceptionand he [ Franklin D. Roosevelt] lies buried in Hyde Park." [6] [7]

Hawkes responded sharply to the calls for his withdrawal,

"This choice has been made by whipping recalcitrant supporters into line and by utilizing other pressures of power politicsin short, by substituting one-man control for the right of the people to choose their own candidate. We are being treated to the emergence of a Republican oligarchy in New Jersey in which the titular head of the party becomes the state, not the representative of the people in the state." [5]

Soon, it became clear that Van Alstyne would fail to unify the party establishment in opposition to Hawkes. [7] On February 13, state treasurer Robert C. Hendrickson announced his campaign for the seat as a substitute for Van Alstyne, bringing the endorsements of 17 out of 21 county Republican leaders. Hawkes had no institutional support but reiterated that he would remain in the race. Only Bergen County endorsed another candidate, state labor commissioner and native son Harry Harper. Atlantic, Ocean, and Cape May counties remained neutral. Hendrickson, a close political ally of Governor Driscoll, was assured of his support. Nevertheless, Harper refused to withdraw from the race unless Driscoll himself came forward as a candidate. [7]

Hawkes ended his campaign on March 5, 1948, bitterly denouncing Driscoll, whom he compared directly to notorious political bosses Frank Hague and Tom Pendergast, and other party leaders, including his Senate colleague H. Alexander Smith and party chair Lloyd B. Marsh, as "New Deal" Republicans. [8] [9] Hawkes also charged that he had been undermined by a conspiracy among the "South Jersey coalition" and said that he had been advised that his chances of victory were slim, given Driscoll's incredible control over state patronage under the new state constitution enacted in 1947. Driscoll responded that Hawkes's charges were "patently false" and made in "a spirit of jealousy," and denied that geographical considerations had played a role in Hendrickson's selection. [9]

In the days leading up to his withdrawal, Hawkes held several meetings with Harper, who pledged he would remain in the race and sought Hawkes's endorsement. [9]

In protest against pressure from Driscoll to support Hendrickson, Clifford Ross Powell endorsed Harper and submitted his resignation from the New Jersey Army National Guard in order to campaign actively for Harper. [10]

Results

1948 Republican Senate primary [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Robert C. Hendrickson 234,113 58.14%
Republican Harry Harper168,55341.86%
Total votes402,666 100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Withdrew

Results

Alexander was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Frank Kingdon, the former president of the University of Newark who supported Henry A. Wallace for the presidency, withdrew from the race and left the Democratic Party in protest.

1948 Democratic Senate primary [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Archibald Alexander 152,401 100.00%
Total votes152,401 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Results

1948 United States Senate election in New Jersey [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Robert C. Hendrickson 934,720 49.99%
Democratic Archibald S. Alexander 884,41447.30%
Progressive James Imbrie22,6581.21%
Socialist Rubye Smith11,4500.61%
Socialist Workers George Breitman 8,0760.43%
Prohibition George W. Rideout4,6560.25%
Socialist Labor George E. Bopp3,9080.21%
Majority50,3062.69%
Turnout 1,869,882
Republican hold

See also

References

  1. "The story of Hackensack Harry". March 4, 2019.
  2. 1 2 "JERSEY GOP FAILS TO BAR PRIMARY FIGHT". The New York Times. February 28, 1948. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  3. "HAWKES ABANDONS RACE FOR SENATE; Denounces Driscoll and Aides, Charges South Jersey Plot to Dominate Republicans". The New York Times. March 6, 1948. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  4. TIME (February 2, 1948). "NEW JERSEY: A.D. 1948". TIME. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "HAWKES DENOUNCES DRISCOLL AS DICTATOR". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  6. TIME (February 16, 1948). "NEW JERSEY: Wanted: An Eraser". TIME. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 "HENDRICKSON RUNS FOR HAWKES' POST; Quick Pledges of Support Sent by 17 of 21 County Leaders in Jersey Senatorial Race". The New York Times. February 14, 1948. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  8. "ALBERT HKWKES, EX‐SENATOR, DIES". The New York Times. May 10, 1971. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 "HAWKES ABANDONS RACE FOR SENATE; Denounces Driscoll and Aides, Charges South Jersey Plot to Dominate Republicans". The New York Times. March 6, 1948. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  10. 1 2 "CANDIDATES SET FOR JERSEY RACES; Deadline Leaves Republicans With Hendrickson - Harper Fight as Chief Issue". The New York Times. March 12, 1948. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  11. "Our Campaigns - NJ US Senate- R Primary Race - Apr 20, 1948".
  12. "1942 Primary Results" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State.
  13. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1948" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved April 22, 2020.